Promotion

Today is a great day for me. I received from our Director of Asia Pacific a letter of promotion. I did not expect it to come so soon because to get to this position, the particular person will need endorsements and approval from a few senior level managers and this will take time.

Since April 2006 when I was last promoted to my previous position. I have worked across many different functions. During that time, I have also seen through so much. Work in different countries, work with different functions, from the basic bolts and nuts to scoping the scope of work and costing. 

I have been seconded to our sister company in Australia for approx 1 year to be in the lead sales role and setting up a full scale engineering and project team. Then back to my current office to resume to role of sales and proposal. Along the way, I was put fully in-charge of the solution and proposal in which I have given the role to standardize the offering of our team to across Asia Pacific.

Last Friday (4th Jan 2013), my immediate manager did my annual appraisal together with me for 2012. He did mention that our director did requested him to do a write up on my promotion which he thinks that it is also timely. He did also told me that the director himself have also put in a letter of recommendation to our Regional HR for them to work on the rest of the details. 

Hence, I only thought that they have just started the process and I will have to wait until at least April 2013 to get the promotion news. Little did I expect the promotion was already been approved and it was backdated to 1st December 2012, effectively which means it have been a month I have been promoted to this new position without anyone informing me until today - 14th Jan 2013.

I am so delighted and happy about this and the first thing I did when I got this letter is to call my wife on her mobile and share with her this good news.

Aunt Sui Fong

On 3rd of Jan (Thursday) one of my Aunt passed away unexpectedly. She is Aunt Sui Fong. She was 57. She have been very kind to us. I still remember when I was still in school, there was a year we (me and Jeremy) went to stay with my cousins (Kim Ho and Kwong Weng) in Kepong, Aunt have taken some leave and took us around KL for shopping and treated us well. For the very first time I have tasted pizza was also a treat from her. During those years also, she will always buy us birthday present every year. 

Then for my wedding, she have help me tie nice ribbons on the sweets bottle which we have gave to all our guest which came for the dinner.

She will visit us every year at least once on the first day of Chinese New Year without fail and when she comes over, she likes fish maw cooked in vinegar which my mom prepare. 

Her demise came as a shock to all of us. I got a missed call SMS at about 615am on the 4th of Jan when I switched on my phone and the second SMS that came is was from my Uncle informing us of her passing. I immediately informed my mom and my wife and both of then were also shocked to hear that news.

Her wake was placed at Nirvana Memorial Hall for prayers and on the 6th of Jan, she was cremated and laid to rest at Semenyih Memorial Park. Soon, her parents and Uncle Charlie will join her in her new resting place as arrangements have been made.

Dear Aunty, you will always be missed and remembered. Sincere thank you for your kindness and treating us so well over the years. Thank you again and may you rest in peace for eternity!!

2012 came and went..

WOW, so fast 2012 have just passed by without me realizing it. Read my last blog was about my wedding update no. 7 which was dated 16th Nov 2011, a month before my wedding. 

Well, today it is already 8th of Jan 2013. My wedding was held successfully with some minor glitches during the wedding dinner on the 16th of Dec 2011 - there was a power failure at the dinner venue, but luckily the backup generator sets came back online just before the dinner started. What a memorable event for us.

On 24th October 2012, my 2nd Uncle from my maternal side passed away. He was 75. His funeral was one of the more grand funeral I have ever attended. This is based on his final wishes and he was laid to rest at the same memorial park as my father. Rest in Peace Uncle O-Bee. I will miss you.

Also in 2012, my god-sister's mother-in-law passed away too. Her wake was at Nirvana Memorial Center where simple prayers was conducted before she was cremated and laid to final resting place in Semenyih Memorial Park.

2012 was a very exciting year for me personally. The whole of 2012 was a learning curve for me to become a husband. I think I had 'grown' and 'learn' a lot during this year. I learn to listen, discuss and talk to my wife. I learn to balance between friends and families. Both of us went through thick and thin this year trying to adapt to each other and I am sure she also have tolerated a lot during the whole year passing. I hope I did not disappointed her too much and I am sure there were more learning and experience that will come along the way for us.

As for work, 2012 have also been an interesting year for me. This year for the very 1st time I flew in a sea plane in Maldives. 

Well, that all I want to write about 2012. I have an unfinished work in 2012 which I am still continue to do until today is to get myself a Chartered Engineer's status. Hopefully by 2013 I will get it done up.